The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-01-12
Electing United States Senators.

Electing United states senators.
The close political divisions of sew
eral of the state legislatures that are to
choose United States senators, and
the troubles that have arisen in conse-
quence, have provoked discussion as
to whether the existing methods in the
matter of senatorial elections are the
best possible. In New Jersey the
balance of power in the legislature is
apparently held by two labor men,"
In Indiana the legislature is so close
that the unseating of two or three
members by the democratic majority in
the senate or by the republican ma
iority in the house may change the
political result on joint ballot. Under
the circumstances, it may not be pos
sible for the present legislature of
either state to choose a United States
senator, and the situation certainly
affords opportunities for corrupt bar
gaining. The reelection of Senator
Logan in Illinois last year was only
accomplished by accidental circum-
stances and brilliant piece of political
strategy. The legislature was a tie,
and for several weeks the heated con-
test continued, neither side being able
to draw from the other the one vote
necessary to elect. Finally member
from a strong democratic district died
and the republicans succeeded in elect
ing their candidate to fill the vacancy.
They did this by making no public
nomination, and thus threw the demo-
Gratis off their guard. By the most
successful 60 still hunt on record the
republicans rallied in large force two
hours before the polls closed on cleo
ton day in all the voting places. The
democrats having no time to bring out
their reserves, the light vote they had
cast was overwhelmed by the ballots of
the republicans. The latter elected
their candidate by several hundred ma
iority, and Immediately upon his taking
his seat in the legislature the deadlock
was broken and General Logan was
returned to the senate. A writer in
the Boston Trareller, in discussion of
some of the difficulties attending the
present method of choosing United
States senators, thinks that some means
will yet be found of making their cleo
ton the result of popular choice:
There is in many quarters a growing dis
satisfaction with the present constitutional
method, since election by legislatures has
not been found to result in securing superior
men or in avoiding political Vaccinations
in determining the choice. People do not
vote for members of the legislature except
in rare instances, the famous Lincoln
Douglas canvass being the most notable of
these, with senatorial candidates in mind,
or with any reference to the choice of SEN
ators, but politicians endeavor to manipu-
late the choice oflegislatures for the further
ance of their own schemes. 1t not infre-
quently happens that the election of a
senator becomes the occasion for the display
of some of the worst incidents and features
of our political system. Promises and
pledges are made and extorted and corrupt
means are used and the result often de-
ponds upon which set of contending poll
ticians show themselves the most skillful
political wire-pullers, upon which candidate
shows himself to be the most liberal and
INSCRIPTIONS in promises and favors, or
who makes the largest disbursements for
expenses, legitimate or otherwise. Though
the vote recently taken in Nebraska to de-
termine the popular preference is not a
marked illustration of the fact that the peo-
pie always make wise choice, yet it may
yet transpire that practice of making
popular nominations and taking popular
vote as means of determining the popular
preference may yet become general, and
would thus virtually make the election of
senators one by the people.